Where Do We Go From Here
by Politicalthry88
Summary: Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**Chapter One**

Jane Rizzoli had never been so scared in her life. This situation was quickly surpassing her experience with Charles Hoyt. At least Hoyt was methodical. His focus allowed her to feel that there was time to deal with everything that was happening to her… time to possibly rectify what may occur. But here, right now, that was not the case. Right now, everything seemed to be out of control. So out of control, that she felt that there was no time to think about her actions.

As soon as Korsak's voice came over the walkie-talkie, Jane knew that she had to move. Her initial instinct was to jump Bobby, but that was impossible with Maura and Frankie being there beside her.

When Bobby turned toward them, gun in hand, all she could do was step in front of Maura to shield her from whatever was about to happen. She did not know what would happen next, but at least she knew that she had protected those who mattered most to her.

Maura yelled for her as Bobby pulled Jane through the morgue's door. Jane's eyes pleading with Maura not to follow, but the look on Maura's face told her that her friend would be close behind.

Jane did not know what to do as she was dragged through the front doors of the precinct; gun pressed painfully against her right temple. The entire precinct seemed to be outside with their guns pointed at her and Bobby. Korsak was even brazen enough to be standing out in the open, almost begging Bobby to let her go. She yelled at them, "Shoot him! Take him down!" but no one did. She looked to Frost, his expression telling her that they would not shoot as long as she was being used as a shield.

Time seemed to stand still as Bobby just stood there, holding her tight to his body to keep his colleagues from firing on him. No one moved for fear of triggering Bobby to do something even more irrational than what they were witnessing. They had already lost a number of colleagues that day; they were not going to risk the murder of another.

Jane saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Maura had entered the precinct's lobby and was running toward the door. Bobby must have seen the same thing because the gun had moved from its place at her temple to where her friend was now emerging from.

This was it… Jane knew that she could no longer remain the victim and allow Bobby to tear apart her world. "SHOOT HIM!" she yelled.

Maura stopped, she was half way through the door and Bobby's gun was pointed directly at her. Before she could even take a step backwards, Jane's hands were there, dragging the gun down until it was pressed against her own body. It only took a second for Maura to realize what Jane was about to do. "JANE," she yelled… but she was too late, Jane had already pulled the trigger.

The power of the bullet ripped through both Jane and Bobby, throwing them backwards toward the cold concrete sidewalk. Jane's eyes stayed locked on Maura's as she watched her best friend run to her side. Korsak and Frost were quickly beside her. By the time they reached their friend, her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow.

Maura's hands sought out Jane's wounds, trying to stop the blood that seemed to be flowing too quickly. She took the jacket that Frost offered her, hoping that it would help slow the bleeding more than just her hands would. She pressed her left hand against the wound on Jane's stomach, as her right held the jacket against the exit wound. Maura could not even begin to imagine what might be going on internally.

Korsak was quick to shift the attention of the arriving EMTs from Bobby to Jane. "She's the one you need to worry about," he said, pushing the EMTs to where he felt they should be.

Jane was quickly placed on a gurney and moved toward the ambulance; Maura's hands still pressing into her friend.

"Ma'am," one of the emergency technicians said. "You can't come with us."

"I'm a doctor," Maura said, refusing to leave her friend in this state.

"All right," the technician responded. "But, you have to stay out of the way."

Maura did not answer; she just slid into the back of the ambulance, helping the EMT by placing the monitors on her friend while he tried to slow the bleeding.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**Chapter Two**

Korsak and Frost sat in the lobby with Jane and Frankie's parents. They had driven straight from the precinct to the Rizzoli house, only explaining what had happened to their children when they were all in the car and on the way to the hospital.

In the lobby, Angela begged the information nurse to tell her what was happening with her children, but all the nurse could say was that they had arrived and were in surgery.

"Isn't there anything you can tell us? Anything at all? What are their injuries? How critical are they? Please….please tell me something. Those are my babies." Angela cried, not knowing what else to do to get the woman sitting in front of her to tell her what was happening.

"Angela, honey, come sit down." Frank, Sr. said as he pulled his wife back to where Korsak and Frost were sitting. "Someone will come out when there is something important to tell us. Until then, let's just let them do what they need to do."

Angela sat down next to Frost. It wasn't worth fighting her husband over, she knew he was right. They would know something when someone was free to talk to them. It just didn't feel right that she had to wait to know how her kids were, and it did not help that her husband wouldn't take his own advice and sit. His constant pacing was making her even more anxious, because he only paced when he was worried.

"I need some coffee," Korsak said, trying to break the silence that was making him weary. "Anyone want some?"

Frost looked up. "Yes, please. Black."

"I know how you take your coffee, Barry."

"Of course… just thought I'd remind you in case you forgot."

Korsak shook his head. "Angela, Frank, can I get you guys anything?"

"No thank you, Vincent." Angela said. "You two should go get your coffee. I'm sure you need a break."

Korsak looked at Frost to see if he wanted to come with him.

"I'll stay here," Frost said. "You're supposed to pay for this round anyway." He said with a half-hearted smile.

...

"All right then, I'll be back in a few minutes. Call me if anything changes." Korsak said as he left the waiting area.

Korsak almost dropped his coffee as he walked back toward the hospital. Sitting outside the building, next to the emergency room entrance, was a very lost looking Maura Isles.

"Dr. Isles, what are you doing out here?" He asked.

Maura looked up, allowing him to see the smudged make-up around her eyes. Her face still wet with fresh tears.

He sat down next to her and handed her his coffee. "You look like you need this more than I do."

As she reached for the cup, he could see that her hands were covered in Jane's blood, her dress not looking any better.

"Thanks," she whispered. She took a small sip and sat the cup down beside her. "Have you heard anything?"

"No. They said that both Frankie and Jane are in surgery and we probably won't know anything for a couple of hours."

"Oh," Maura said, biting her lip. "Are and Mr. and Mrs. Rizzoli inside?"

"Ya, Barry and I picked them up on the way here. Angela isn't taking this very well."

Maura looked at Korsak, "I doubt that anyone is handling this very well, Vincent. I should probably go in there." She looked down at herself. "Do you mind coming with me? I would like to see if they have anything I might change in to… I would not want her parents to see me like this."

Korsak stood, extending his hand for Maura. "Come on doc, I'm sure they'll give you some scrubs."

"Thanks, Vincent." She stopped and leaned heavily on him. He immediately saw tears beginning to reappear. "I lost her for a while in that ambulance."

"You mean she crashed?"

Maura averted her eyes. "Her heart stopped and I could not do anything but sit there and stare. The EMT had to push me aside… I've never felt so useless in my life."

"But they got her back, right? I mean, they took her to surgery, so that has to mean they brought her back." He said this more to convince himself then anything else.

"Yes, she regained her pulse, but being down for as long as she was, there is no telling what kind of damage there was." She took Korsak's hand. "I'm afraid to go in there and find out that she's not going to pull through this."

"That's not going to happen, Maura. She's got too much fight in her to not get through this. And we're all here for her to make sure that they do everything that they can."

"I hope you're right. I'm not sure what I would do without her. These last few months…. We've spent a lot of time together." Maura looked at Korsak, not knowing whether she should cross the professional boundary any further.

"She'll pull through it… before you know it, you'll be back to your Friday night routine of pizza and movies." He patted her on the back. "Now let's go find something for you to change into."


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**Chapter Three**

Maura's entrance into the waiting area was a shock for the Rizzoli's. Not because they were surprised to see Maura, but because of how she appeared. They had rarely seen her in anything other than her designer dresses and heels, but now she stood before them in a pair of loose blue scrubs, and someone's well worn loafers.

"Maura, honey, come sit with me." Angela's tone was softer than usual. Frost had explained that Maura had been there throughout everything that had happened, keeping her son alive in the morgue and refusing to leave Jane's side once they had placed her in the ambulance. "I'm sure they will be out soon to tell us something about Janie and Frankie."

Maura walked heavily toward the Rizzoli's, her body physically drained by the knowledge that both of their children were probably touch-and-go at the moment. "If you'd like, I can try to find someone to give us an update. I'm pretty sure that a few of my peers from medical school work here. I might be able to get some information for one of them, or get them to inquire about Jane's status for us."

"That would be great honey, I can't imagine what's taking them so long." Angela said.

Frank, Sr. looked at Maura. "Should I go check on Jo Friday? I'm not sure how long Jane usually keeps her in the apartment during the day."

"No need to worry about Jo, sir," Korsak said. "I already had one of the guys from the precinct pick her up and take her over to my house."

"Oh. Ok, maybe I'll just take a walk then." Frank, Sr. said as he stood up. "Angela, do you have your phone on you?"

"Ya, why?" Angela asked.

"That way you can call me if someone comes out to talk to us and I haven't come back yet."

"How long are you expecting to be gone, Frank? Can't you just stay put a little longer?" Angela was beginning to get frustrated with her husbands restlessness.

"I need to take a walk Angela, I can't just sit here and wait. I need to do something."

Korsak reached in his pocket. "Here Frank, take my phone. I'll have Frost here give you a call if someone comes out."

Frank took the phone. "Thanks, Vincent. I'll be back in a while." He looked at his wife, as if to say something, but instead headed toward the door, not wanting to bicker any longer.

"I don't understand him." Angela said to Maura. "You'd think, at I time like this, he'd be glued to a chair, waiting to hear something, anything at all, about his children. But no, not my husband, mister antsy-pants has to go walking because he can't deal with tough situations."

Maura did not know what to say to Mrs. Rizzoli's complaint. "I'll go try to find someone to help. Barry can call Frank when we know whether one of my peers can help us or not." With that, Maura turned and exited the waiting area, knowing that she was doing exactly what Frank, Sr. had. She could not just sit idly by and let god knows what happened, she had to know what was going on, even if she could not physical help.

The blue scrubs allowed Maura to easily move throughout the middle of the hospital and into the doctors' lounge without anyone questioning her presence. Once inside, Maura looked around, hoping to find someone familiar to her. For the most part, the large area was empty, but when she rounded the corner, she saw exactly what she had been hoping for.

"Dr. Roberts, I'm so glad I found you." Maura said.

A dark haired woman in her mid-thirties looked up from the large text that she had been preoccupied with. "Well, if it isn't Dr. Maura Isles. What are you doing up here? Last I heard you were working for the Boston Medical Examiners office."

Maura smiled at her old classmate. "You heard correctly." She said before getting to the point of the visit. "I'm here because one of my colleagues was brought in this afternoon after being shot in front of the building that we work in. We have yet to have had an official statement from her doctors, and I was hoping that you might be able to help me speed up the process a bit. Her younger brother was also brought in, and her parents are worried sick, as it has been a few hours."

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry to hear about your colleagues. Do you know who the surgeons are?" Dr. Roberts asked.

"No, all I know is that they were both immediately sent into surgery, and that Jane's status was extremely urgent as she had already crashed once in the ambulance."

Dr. Roberts held the pen that she had been holding to her lip, contemplating what Maura had just said. She didn't miss the fact that Maura had used her colleague's forename so easily. "She got shot outside of her precinct?"

"Yes. The bullet entered at the abdomen and exited the middle to upper back. There had to have been significant damage from the trajectory of the bullet, and…." Dr. Roberts stopped Maura there.

"One of the residents just came in talking about that case. It sounds like your friend was having a rough go of it in surgery. Why don't we go down to the OR and see what's going on? I'll go in and get an update for you, then we can go speak with her parents."

Maura sighed, somewhat relieved to hear that her classmate was willing to help, but anxious about the fact that Jane was struggling. "Thank you, Nicole. You don't know how much this means to me."

Dr. Roberts stood up, and walked toward Maura. "I take it that you two are closer than mere colleagues?" Nicole asked.

Maura gave her friend a sad smile. "She's my life."

Nicole nodded knowingly. "Well then, let's go and make sure that she's going to be all right." With that, the two women left the quiet of the doctors' lounge and headed down to the chaos of the OR.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**Chapter Four**

Once they were down at the OR, Nicole quickly left Maura to enter the room where Jane was in

surgery. Maura had wished to go inside as well, but knew that would be out of line. She only hoped that Nicole would ask all the questions that she would ask.

As she waited impatiently in the hallway, she overheard a few of the nurses discussing the chaos of the morning.

"I can only imagine what their poor mother must be going through right now, knowing that both her kids are in here with life threatening wounds. And the fact that they were shot in a police station… My god, you'd think that a police station would be one of the safest places in Boston, being that they are filled with cops!" The nurse nearest to Maura's position on the wall said.

The nurse facing Maura responded. "From what I heard, the man is going to be fine. Paul said that whoever was working on him at the police station saved his life. They must have had some medical knowledge, because they actually were able to relieve some of the pressure building up in the poor guy's chest cavity. But the woman, I can't imagine that she's going to survive this, and if she does, I'm pretty sure she won't be able to be a cop." The nurse picked up a file sitting on the desk in front of her and began to go through it. "One of the doctors said that the trajectory of the wound made it look like she actually shot herself. Can you believe that?"

Maura could not stand to hear any more of what was being said by the nurses. The thought of Jane possibly dying, or not recovering fully from this made her sick. She quickly picked herself up of the wall and moved to the nurse station, where the two women were still gossiping.

"Can I help you miss?" The nurse standing behind the desk asked.

Before responding, Maura went around the desk and grabbed onto the garbage, vomiting the measly contents of her stomach into the bin. The nurse took hold of Maura and sat her in the chair, snatching up a bottle of water from the desk.

"Here, drink some of this." The nurse said.

"Thanks." Maura mumbled as she brought the bottle of water to her lips. After setting the bottle back on the desk she looked apologetically at both nurses. "I'm so sorry. It's just… the woman you were discussing; she's my best friend."

The nurse on the other side of the desk looked on sympathetically. "I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what you must be going through ma'am, but you really aren't supposed to be down here…" She said cautiously, hoping to not distress the woman in front of her anymore.

Maura straightened herself in the chair. "I'm down here with Dr. Roberts. I'm the Medical Examiner for the Boston Police Department, and felt that with Dr. Roberts' assistance, we might get word to their parents, seeing as they have yet to be apprised of the situation with their children."

The nurses recognized the change in Maura's pose and decided not to argue with her about hospital policy, regardless of whether a doctor had authorized her presence. "Well, I guess you can stay here. I need to go and do my rounds… I'm sure Dr. Roberts will be out shortly to take you back up to the waiting area. Mary, do you mind cleaning up the trash bin?"

The one who must have been Mary came around the desk. "Of course not. I'll just do this and catch up with you shortly."

As the nurse with the file left, the other one began to change the bag in the garbage. "I truly am sorry about your friend. The situation must have been something horrible for her to shoot herself like that."

Maura looked at the nurse shocked by her shameless attempt to get more information. "Jane didn't just randomly shoot herself because things got out of hand, Mary." She said harshly. "She was shot attempting to save me from an unscrupulous man who happened to be a cop."

"Oh. Wow, that must have been hard to witness." Mary said, slowly moving to the other side of the desk. She seemed to be excited to tell the others about the newest details about the shooting they were all talking about.

"Why don't you go catch up with that other nurse, Mary." Maura said dismissively. "I'm sure your itching to let everyone know that the shooter was a police officer."

Mary did not even respond, she just turned on her heel and rushed down the hall. No doubt doing exactly what Maura had just accused her of wanting to do.

Soon the door to the OR would open and she would know exactly what they were dealing with. Until then, Maura would just have to sit and weigh all the possibilities in her head.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**Chapter Five**

Angela, Korsak, and Frost continued waiting in the lobby for some news regarding Jane and Frankie. It seemed as though time was moving much to quickly because every time one them looked up at the clock, it seemed that another half hour had passed. Korsak could not figure out if that was a good or bad thing. Obviously, if either had not made it through surgery, someone would have come up to say something to them, but the fact that no one had, meant that their injuries were probably more horrific than any of them imagined them being.

Angela took Korsak's hand. "Do you think you could call Frank for me? I'd like him to go home and get me a change of clothes for tomorrow. I have a feeling that I'll be staying the night here."

Korsak patted Angela's hand. "Of course. Frost, mind giving me your phone so I can call Frank?"

Frost did not even look up; he simply reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the phone that had been ringing off the hook.

"I think the lieutenant has been trying to get in touch of us." He said quietly as he handed over his cell phone. "I've just been letting it go to voicemail."

Korsak shook his head in understanding. "I'll give him a call once I get off the phone with Frank."

Just as Korsak was about to step out of the waiting room, Maura entered the area with an attractive woman who happened to be wearing a white jacket. "Maura, thank god, you found a doctor." He said excitedly.

Maura saw Angela and Frost begin to rush over. "Angela, Vincent, Barry, this is Dr. Nicole Roberts, we went to medical school together. She was kind enough to offer her assistance and ask about Jane and Frankie's surgical status."

Angela Rizzoli quickly enfolded the doctor into an unexpected hug. "Thank you doctor, that's very kind of you. How are my babies?"

Nicole did not miss a beat. As she pulled herself out of the crushing embrace, she turned to address everyone standing around her. "Frankie is going to be taken to the ICU shortly. They were just finishing his surgery when I went in to get an update. According to Dr. Monroe, the lead on your son's case," she said, addressing Angela directly, "he suffered a collapsed lung, two shattered ribs, and a few other internal injuries. There were some minor complications during the surgery, which accounts for why you were not given an update until now, but he is expected to fully recover from his injuries."

"OH THANK GOD!" Angela yelled. "What about Janie?"

The doctor took a deep breath before answering the excited mother's question. "Jane's surgery is complicated. When I went into the OR, they had just stopped all of the internal bleeding that had been visible. Up until that point, your daughter was losing more blood than they could replace, which made the situation extremely volatile." Nicole looked at Maura's ashen face before continuing. "She will probably be in surgery for another two to three hours before anything further will be known, but the damage from the bullet seemed extensive. From what her doctor said, her lung will need repairing, and there was musculature and nerve damage where the bullet exited that will most likely lead to further surgeries. If your daughter is strong enough to survive this, she will be looking at a long recovery."

"You mean she may not make it?" Angela asked.

Nicole put her arm around Maura, who looked as though she was about to collapse. "If she makes it out of surgery, these next 48 hours will be critical for her. If she makes it through those, then it will all be a very difficult uphill battle, which she will need all of you to help her with."

That was all Angela had to hear before she began to break down and cry. Frost and Korsak quickly took her to the nearest chair and sat down beside her trying to console her with positive thoughts. Neither could imagine a world in which Jane Rizzoli was not present.

Dr. Roberts turned to Maura, whose weight was beginning to press down on her. "Why don't we go to my office? You can rest on my couch while I finish up some paper work."

"I couldn't leave them." Maura said, looking over to Angela and the detectives.

"FRANK!" Angela yelled, as her husband entered the room and rushed over to where his wife sat. The bag in his hand somehow finding its way on the floor before Angela was engulfed in his arms.

Gently, Dr. Roberts pushed Maura toward the door. "They'll need you back here a little later, right now, you need to take care of yourself."


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**Hope you all are enjoying the story so far. I'm always willing to hear feedback, so don't be afraid to write and tell me what you think I should change, add, stop focusing on, etc. Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter Six**

It was nearly five in the morning when Nicole woke-up Maura. The M.E. had almost immediately fallen asleep once the doctor had settled her old classmate on her office couch with a blanket and one of the hospital's pillows.

Not wanting to wake Maura, Nicole had quietly slipped in to one of the on-call rooms in order to catch a few hours of sleep for herself. At four o'clock, one of the residents on Jane Rizzoli's case had come in to update her on the detective's status. As soon as she and the resident were finished, Nicole grabbed a couple of coffees from the hospital's cafeteria and headed back to her office to give Maura the news.

Nicole entered her office as quietly as she could, hoping to not startle the sleeping form on her couch. Knowing how bright her overhead lighting was, due to her many all-nighters at the hospital, she decided instead to turn on the reading lamp that she had at her desk. As Maura began to stir, she set one of the coffee cups down on the coffee table.

"Do I smell coffee?" Maura asked as she combed her fingers through her hair before sitting up.

Nicole sat down next to Maura, lifting Maura's feet into her lap before re-covering them with the blanket. "I hope you still take it with two sugars."

Maura smiled, "you remembered."

"Of course… I probably brought you a thousand cups of coffee while we were in med school. I'm just amazed that you haven't grown accustom to the black sludge the cops typically drink." Nicole set her own cup down on the table then moved her hands to Maura's feet and gave them a quick but affectionate pat. "Did you sleep all right?"

Nicole could see the ache in Maura's eyes. "As well as I could, considering. Thank you for letting me use your office. I don't think I would have gotten any rest if I had to go home."

"I understand. Remember what I was like when my dad got in that car wreck? If it hadn't been for you, I probably would not have made it through the month, let alone been allowed to continue my medical rotation. You made me take time for myself, even when it seemed like the most impossible thing in the world to do."

"But you did, and you got through it." Maura said knowingly. "How is your dad? I have yet to meet anyone who makes gnocchi al Gorgonzola better than him."

"He's good. Always asks whether I've heard anything from you." She smiled. "He always liked you. He said that you were the one."

"He finally came around then?" Maura asked.

"Yes, it took him some time to come to terms with it, but he finally understood that I couldn't pretend to be something that I wasn't just for his sake. He probably would have come around sooner had he not found out the way that he did… I can't imagine what he must of thought, walking in and finding us kissing on the couch in my apartment."

"I still remember the look on his face… I never moved so fast in my life." Maura said with a hint of regret. "I'm sorry that we lost touch after that."

Nicole waved her hand, brushing off the comment. "If back then, I had been brave enough to be who I knew I was, we wouldn't even be talking about this now. It's in the past, why don't we just leave it there and move on."

Maura reached over and took her friend's hand. "I'd like that. You were one of the only people that accepted me for who I am, until Jane of course." Maura bit her lip and gave Nicole a look. "Have you heard anything?"

The doctor kept Maura's hand in her own. "I spoke with a resident who is working on her case before coming in here to wake you up. She's in ICU and is relatively stable, considering her injuries. He said that if she starts showing some improvement in the next 48 hours, they will take her back into surgery to repair the lung more permanently. If she responds well to that, in two weeks, she will be taken back into surgery to repair a damaged nerve. According to him, a bullet fragment severed part of her radial nerve, which without surgery will severely limit the movement of her right arm."

Maura nodded wittingly. "That means that her tricep, posterior osteofiscial compartment, supinator, as well as parts of her of her hand will be affected. If the damage is extensive, where will they harvest healthy, replacement nerves? As a detective, it is important that she be able to regain all physical ability."

"At this time, I think the most important thing is that if Jane gets through this, she is able to do basic daily activities. If she gets to that point, then she can start pushing herself to get more mobility." She squeezed Maura's hand. "Right now, we should probably focus on how she gets to the point that she will be able to take care of herself. If she pulls out of this, she will be extremely dependent for a while."

"I understand that." Maura said, appreciating her friend's honesty. "Have you talked to the neurologist yet about what her chances of recovering full use of that arm might be? Are we looking at a sixty-percent chance or a twenty-percent chance? If she pulls through this, I want her to understand what's going to happen. I don't want to be like everyone else is going to be; giving her a false hope that will ultimately only cause her to be more depressed by her situation."

"Honestly, he said it would be a thirty-percent chance of full recovery, but that means there may be multiple surgeries rather than one, and extensive physical therapy and training. It could take years before she returns to what she was doing, and even then, it won't be where she was before this happened."

Maura sighed. The situation was quickly becoming more than she could emotionally bear. Jane was going to have to deal with both the mental and the physical cost of what had occurred, and all because she didn't listen to her friend and stay behind in the morgue.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**Hope you all are continuing to enjoy the updates. I'm sorry that all I have for you is another short chapter, but it's difficult to churn out more between work and research. I have a bit of a break tomorrow, so I will try to either give you one long chapter or another multi-chapter update. Enjoy! Oh, and don't forget to let me know what you think. I accept all critiques, whether good or bad. =)**

**Chapter Seven**

Maura went straight from Nicole's office to the ICU. Upon entering the area, Maura was very conscious of the many possibilities that she and her friend had discussed. Would Jane ever be the same woman that she once knew? And, what did this mean for their friendship? She knew that she was responsible for Jane's reaction… would Jane hold that against her?

"Maura," Angela Rizzoli said quietly, trying not to startle the M.E. from her thoughts. "Are you all right, sweetie?"

"I… I guess I'm afraid to go in there and see her like this." Maura said honestly. "I know what to expect medically speaking, but… I've never really been close enough to anyone to feel so affected by a situation."

Angela took Maura's arm and led her toward Jane's room. "I know it's hard, it is hard for me to see her like this, but she needs all of us right now… I have a feeling that Janie is going to need you more than any of us." She said sadly, "She's never been one to ask for help, and she would never ask us, so you're going to have to let her know that you're there and you won't let her be her stubborn old-self."

Maura smiled at the thought that Jane would need her. "I will do whatever I can to get her through this. I will even ask you for help if necessary."

Angela gave Maura a teasing wink. "That's all that I ask… Why don't you go on in, I was just headed back to Frankie's room to get Frank so we can get some breakfast."

"How is Frankie?"

"He's doing all right. He was eating breakfast when I left and came to look in on Jane. The doctor said that he should be able to leave in two days. They just want to keep an eye on him a little longer."

"Is he going to be staying with you?" Maura asked.

"Ya, Frank's going to set-up a bed in the living room later today so Frankie doesn't have to worry about trying to go up and down stairs." Angela looked Maura straight in the eye. "She's going to pull through this, right?"

Maura wasn't sure whether she should tell Angela what Nicole had told her earlier or not. "She will recover from this… it's just a matter of how much time it will take for her to be on her own again." Maura decided to make her answer as vague as possible, not wanting to distress Angela any further. "I was thinking that maybe I would ask her to move in with me. Make her feel as though she actually has a choice at a time when many decisions will have to be made for her."

"I think that's a good idea sweetheart. She'll feel like she has some control over her situation. You know Jane, if she feels like she's trapped, she'll be a bear to deal with." Angela said.

"Did her doctor say when he expected her to regain consciousness?" Maura asked.

"He said it might be anywhere from some time today to three days from now, it just depends."

Maura sighed, "That sounds about right. Do you know if they have started her on morphine yet or are they waiting for her to wake up? That could also affect whether she remains unconscious or not."

"I don't know sweetie. I'm sure that you could read the stuff on her clip board better than I could."

Maura straightened her shoulders. "I guess that means I should probably go in there, huh?"

Angela patted Maura's arm. "Let her know that you're there. I know you probably don't believe it, but she'll know you're there."

"Actually, there are studies that have shown that there are different levels of unconsciousness, and that in certain levels, there have been improvements based on whether a patient has had physical and emotionally significant contact with visitors." Maura saw Angela's confused look. "I'll talk to her."

"Good. I'll see you in a little while." Angela said, turning to head the few doors down to Frankie's room.

Maura took a deep breath to ready herself for what she was about to see. She had seen her friend in the hospital before, but never for something so serious.

…

Maura was shocked by what she saw as she entered the very plain ICU room. Jane was surrounded by monitors and wires, her face pale in the dim light of the room.

Not able to stand the dismal state that her friend was in, Maura quickly crossed the small room in order to open the blinds to the sole window. The change was not much, but it did bring a little sun light to a space that badly needed some brightening.

Her heart ached as she sat down next to her friend. It was difficult to see Jane as anything but her usually unrelenting self. How had she let it get to this point?

Maura's lip quivered as she reached for Jane's hand and laced their fingers together. Jane's hand felt small and cold, different than they had felt on the many occasions that they had consoled or teased her. Her face looked unnatural, devoid of any emotion or depth. This wasn't her Jane, but it was. It's what she had made her become.

"I'm so sorry, Jane. I'm so… so very sorry that I let this happen to you." She said as tears silently fell from her eyes. "I should have listened. I should have waited in the morgue with your brother… but I didn't. I ran after you to make sure you were all right, and ended up being the reason why you're here."

Maura let the tears take over, her shoulders shuddering as she let go. She had never felt as lost as she did right then. Everything she had dreamed of, everything that she had ever hoped for was lying in that bed.

She placed her head beside their linked hands, knowing that her entire world was going to change along with Jane's. While she knew that she could handle whatever was thrown at her, she was worried about how Jane would react. How was she going to get Jane to allow her-self to be taken care of when she prided herself on being self-sufficient? Better yet, how was she going to tell Jane that she might not be able to go back to work?


	8. Chapter 8

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**Here's a little something to keep you from waiting too much. I'm working on another chapter as I work on posting this. Enjoy, and as always, let me know what you think… I welcome all suggestions, compliments, and complaints. =)**

**Chapter Eight**

Maura awoke suddenly, forgetting where she was until recognizing the consistent beeping of the heart monitor. She was still in Jane's room.

She sat up, looking for any sign of a change, and saw something else. On the opposite side of the bed sat Dr. Roberts, sleeping quite soundly. Maura got up and crossed to her friend, surprised by her presence.

"Nicole." Maura said, gently placing her hand on the doctor's shoulder.

Nicole's eyes popped open quickly. "Maura…. Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep."

Maura squeezed her friend's shoulder before sitting in the chair next to her. "You must be exhausted to have fallen asleep like that. Unless you've finally adjusted to hospital living?"

"Ha, I can't believe you remember that… I still usually have trouble sleeping here, unless I've had an unusually long day."

"Have you not been home yet?" Maura asked, worried that her friend was overworking herself.

"I wanted to check in with Jane's doctors before heading home, then I saw you in here and thought I would see if you were ok." Nicole explained, trying not to seem overly concerned about Maura.

"Why didn't you wake me? You could be at home right now."

"I could tell that you had been crying, and I figured that you could use the rest, so I sat down and took a cue from you and fell asleep." Nicole smiled. "Looks like we're both exhausted."

Maura bit her lip before speaking, as though she were thinking. "I should probably go home and shower, then check with Vincent about Bass and Jo, he needs to know what we feed them. I need to get my car and pack a bag"

"Pets? You have pets?" Nicole said, amazed at the declaration.

"Why do you look so surprised? I could have pets… why couldn't I have pets?" Maura wondered.

"I just… you were always in designer clothes, your apartment was always immaculate… I can't imagine you with pets." Nicole said with a laugh. "And here I thought you hadn't changed."

Maura crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. "I happen to have a pet tortoise named Bass, and Jane has a dog, Jo Friday, who stays over quite frequently." She explained in an insistent tone.

That was all Nicole needed before breaking down laughing. "You have a tortoise named Bass? I guess you haven't really changed, have you?"

"What's wrong with Bass?"

Nicole put her hand on her friend's thigh. "Absolutely nothing. It's adorable."

Maura blushed. "He's staying with one of the detectives for a while until everything with Jane gets figured out. I really should check in on him… Vincent could be feeding him all kinds of weird things."

"Well, how about I take you home then? I'm on my way home anyway, and your company on the drive will help keep me awake."

"Are you sure? That would be really helpful. My car is at home because Jane drove me to work yesterday, and the ambulance brought me here. If Barry hadn't brought me my purse from the station, I'd be completely lost right now." Maura said, a little flustered. "I should tell the Rizzoli's where I am going."

"How about I meet you in the lobby in ten minutes? I need to get a few files from my office anyway."

Maura got up and grabbed her purse from the nightstand beside Jane's bed. "Thank you, Nicole. I appreciate everything you've done for me."

Nicole got up and opened the door to leave. "No need to thank me. When our roles were reversed, you did everything that you could do to help me…I'll see you in the lobby in ten." She smiled before leaving.

Maura stepped up to Jane's bedside and took her friend's hand. "I'll be back in a few hours." She said before leaning down to kiss her friend's forehead. "I'll make sure Jo isn't being overly spoiled… I know how you dislike it when she begs."

With that, Maura left Jane's room and headed toward Frankie's room to let the Rizzoli's know that she would be gone for a couple hours. She wanted to make sure that they called her if anything changed.

….

"Wow, nice place." Nicole said as she entered Maura's home. "When did you get this?"

Maura looked around proudly at her home. "About two years ago. Jane thought it was a little big, but it actually works out well when she and Jo stay the night here."

Nicole looked at her friend, a little confused by the statement. "You mean you two don't…"

Maura cut her off before she could finish the sentence. "No. Our relationship is one of friendship only. I would like for there to be more, but I am not sure about how Jane feels… and now, with everything that has happened, I don't think it would be wise for me to pursue anything."

"Oh. I guess I just assumed that the two of you were together."

Maura smiled at the thought. "She's the best friend that I have ever had, and I care for her deeply, but right now, all I can focus on is getting her to a point that she will physically be able take care of herself. Once she gets to that point, maybe I will try to pursue a relationship beyond that of friendship, but until then I can't risk the complication. Especially knowing how stubborn Jane will be when those closest to her will be trying to help her get better. She will already feel overly dependent on me, I don't want her to feel insufficient at meeting any needs that I might have as well."

"So, you think there is a chance that she might also have feelings for you?" Nicole asked carefully.

Maura's look was certain. "I am almost certain, although we never spoke of it."

"I'm glad. You deserve to be happy." Nicole said sincerely. "While I wish your judgment meant that I would be free to pursue you, I would also be just as happy with the idea of us becoming close friends again. I've honestly missed our time together, these past two days have reminded me about how much I've missed out on."

Maura walked to her friend and enveloped her in a gentle hug. "I would like that very much." Maura stepped back to look at her old friend. "You look exhausted. Why don't you go rest in my guest room while I shower? I wouldn't want you getting in an accident because you are too tired to drive home."

Nicole waved off her friend's concern. "I've been much more tired than this. I'll leave so you can do what you need to do. I will be back at the hospital by nine tomorrow morning, if you need anything before then, please don't hesitate to give me a call."

Maura hugged her friend again. "Thank you so much for all that you have done for us. I appreciate it more than you know… Now go home and get some sleep, you know as well as I do how crucial it is to rest."

Nicole grinned. "Yes, Dr. Isles." With that Nicole left the house, leaving Maura alone with her thoughts.


	9. Chapter 9

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**Sorry for the delay and for the fact that I'm giving you another short chapter. A project fell into my lap and it ended up taking more time than I had anticipated. Hope you all enjoy. I'll try to get another chapter up soon. Let me know what you think… and as always, I love suggestions.**

**Chapter Nine**

Maura fell asleep sometime between showering and packing a bag for the hospital. When she woke up, she was shocked to see that her bedside clock read that it was seven in the evening. She remembered stopping to take a nap, but never considered that she would have remained asleep for so long.

She reached over to turn on her bedside lamp. The book that she had been reading just 72 hours ago was left open. She smiled, remembering why she had placed it there like that.

_That night, Jane had come over to make Maura watch "Dr. Strangelove," because Maura had made her watch "La Vie en Rose" the week before. Like usual, they'd had too much to drink, and Jane had ended up staying the night. _

_Instead of going to sleep in the guest room, like she usually did, Jane had drunkenly crawled into bed beside Maura. Maura could not tell whether her friend's decision was because of the alcohol or the mere fact that her friend seemed exhausted when she had come over for their movie night. Not being as exhausted, or as intoxicated as Jane had been; Maura decided to read for a while, as her friend snored softly next to her. _

_She had read about a chapter when her reading was interrupted by Jane's arm being wrapped around her waist. Instead of waking her friend and asking her to move, she set her book down on her nightstand and turned off the light. She didn't want Jane to wake up and feel uncomfortable with how close they were, but she also wanted to enjoy how affectionate Jane was being. _

_The next morning, Maura had woken up to Jane watching her. She had expected to see anxiety in Jane's eyes or even embarrassment, but what she saw was a warmth and desire she wasn't accustom to seeing from Jane. Jane moved to brush away a few stray strands of hair from Maura's face, her eyes never leaving Maura's._

"_Did you sleep well?" Maura asked as she linked her hand with the one that Jane had just placed on her hip._

"_Mmm," Jane said biting her lip. "I haven't been able to sleep through the night like that in a while." Jane brought their hands up to her lips and kissed Maura's knuckles. "Thanks for letting me stay over."_

"_You don't have to thank me, Jane. You're more than welcome to stay here whenever you like. You know I enjoy having you here." Maura took a deep breath. "I like being close to you."_

_Jane smiled. "Good… because I like being close to you too."_

_Maura looked intently at Jane. She couldn't figure out whether Jane was flirting or just being friendly. _

"_Should I make breakfast? You can use the shower in here if you like."_

_Jane squeezed Maura's hand and started to get up. "Sure. That sounds good." Jane turned around just as she was about to shut the bathroom door. "How do you feel about going out tonight? Maybe go dancing at that club you like?"_

"_Really?" Maura asked in amazement. "But you said that you hate that place." _

_Jane grinned confidently at her friend. "Well, maybe I've changed my mind." _

A tear escaped down Maura's cheek as she thought about what that night would have held for them. Would they have finally confessed their feelings for each other? Would she have had the nerve to kiss Jane? The possibilities of that night were endless, but they were also lost… lost in a world that was no more.

…..

Maura felt her purse vibrate as she was loading her bag into her Mercedes. "Hello…hello, Angela?" She looked down at her phone and saw that the call had disconnected. As she tried to find Angela's cell phone number, she saw that she had four voicemail messages, all from Jane's mother. She hurried to return the call.

"Maura?" Angela answered.

"I'm so sorry, Angela. My phone must have been on silent because I didn't hear the phone ring." Maura said anxiously.

"It's all right dear, but you might want to come to the hospital… Jane's awake and she's asking for you."

"She's awake? When? How… how is she?" Maura asked, letting the tears fall freely as she got into her car.

Angela cleared her throat, "She's been waking up every half hour or so. She hurts, but she seems ok. The doctor came in and looked at her…" Angela quieted her voice. "He said that her hand and arm movement isn't too good."

"I'm just leaving my house now. I should be there in about fifteen minutes. Will you… will you let her know I am on my way?"

"Of course, sweetie, she'll be happy to see you." Angela was quiet for a moment. "I think you're right about her staying with you. She doesn't like us seeing her like this…and… it's hard to see her like this."

"This is going to be hard for all of us, but most of all, it's going to be hard for Jane. She's going to want to know that we are all here for her… but, to be honest, I think it's best that when she leaves the hospital, that you give me some time alone with her. She's going to need to feel comfortable with herself before she is able to rationally deal with everything and everyone else."

Angela sighed, "As much as it hurts me, I think you're right. My Janie is a stubborn girl… she's not going to like us all being worried about her. And you're so clinical… that will help keep her emotions in check."

Maura thought about how she had been acting. She didn't feel very clinical at the moment. "I hope I can help her." She said. For once, she was not feeling very sure of herself.


	10. Chapter 10

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**Sorry I didn't get this up sooner… work decided to creep into my weekend. Hope you all enjoy. And as always, let me know what you think. I enjoy feedback. =)**

**Chapter Ten**

Maura entered the ICU quickly, wanting to get to her favorite detective before evening rounds. She wanted a chance to talk to Jane before the nurse gave her any medication that might make her fall asleep.

As Maura entered Jane's room, she saw that Jane was surrounded by the Rizzoli's and Korsak. It was a little too crowded for them to have that discussion that she was planning on having.

"Hi." Maura said as she sat her bags down behind the chair Frank, Sr. was sitting in.

Jane's eyes were immediately on her. "Hey. You're here." Her typically husky voice sounded strained from the days she had spent on the ventilator.

"Of course… I would have been here earlier, but I had to go home and pack a bag with a couple days worth of clothing."

Angela Rizzoli picked up the glass of water next to Jane's bed. "Here sweetheart, take a sip."

"Thanks Ma." Jane took a sip and looked back toward where Maura stood. "Where are you going?" Jane asked, surprised that Maura was taking a trip.

Maura was confused by the question. "What do you mean? I'm not going anywhere."

"Then why do you need the bags?" Jane asked.

Maura furrowed her brows, trying to understand what Jane was thinking. "Because I am not fond of wearing scrubs and that would be my only option if I didn't bring a bag of my own clothes back here."

Angela squeezed Jane's hand. "Maura's been here since you were shot." She explained to her still confused daughter.

"Oh," Jane said. "Then you're staying here."

"Yes. If that's ok with you, I'd like to be here to understand what kind of care you are going to need when they discharge you."

Korsak spoke up. "The doc said she should be out of here in a couple weeks, but she'll probably be coming back for a lot for therapy."

Maura nodded her head in understanding. "Was the physical therapist already here? I was hoping to speak with them about their goals for her."

"Ya, a young woman… I think her name was Angie… she came in and talked with Janie and me about their program. She said that she was going to be back in the morning to eval. her." She said, looking at Frank, Sr. for confirmation. He just nodded in agreement.

"Oh good, I wanted to be here for that. I was hoping to see what your function looks like so that we have a base to assess your progress by." Maura looked at Jane. "Did the neurologist say anything about another surgery? We had discussed the possibility of a second surgery to repair the damage caused to your radial nerve." She looked intently at Jane, knowing that she would have to explain what that meant.

"A bullet fragment caused damage to the nerve that controls your tricep, posterior osteofiscial compartment, supinator, and parts of your hand. As I understand it, surgical repair as well as intensive physical therapy should help restore some of your range of motion."

"What does that mean? I won't get all of my function back?" Jane asked, her tone stressing how worried she was by what Maura had just said.

Maura felt Jane's anguish course through her, but knew that she needed to be one-hundred percent professional as she explained the situation to Jane. Jane didn't need to know that as a medical professional; even she was concerned about how Jane's recovery would go.

"I discussed your probable prognosis with my friend Dr. Roberts, and she feels that with a second surgery as well as intensive physical and occupational therapy, there is a good chance that you will get eighty-five to ninety percent of your function back. That being said, the rehabilitation time for something like this will be lengthy due to the fact that you will most likely be starting with relatively little functionality. After surgery, your rehabilitation will be limited because you will need to leave a certain amount of time for healing. Once you've reached that point, they will most likely start working on your ability to do every day activities… what the Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist call ADL functions. These things include brushing your hair, teeth, buttoning your clothes, showering, and anything else you will need to do to get by. From there, they will begin a more intensive therapy. You'll probably see a therapist two to three times a week for the first couple of months, while also doing your exercises at home, with me…. At the end of a few months, they will probably want to reassess where you are at."

Jane looked at her parents and then at Korsak. "What about work? I can't just not work."

"Jane," Korsak said. "Barry and I can handle things until you get better. And if we have any questions, we know where to find you."

"What about my cases? What about my court appearances? I can't let all of those families down. I promised them that I would be there for them." Jane yelled. "What the fuck am I supposed to do? Just sit around and let people wait on me… I can't do that."

"Language, Jane." Maura said, bothered by her friend's outburst.

"Really Maura…. You're going to lecture me about my language now? I think the fact that my life is falling apart right now allows me the right to be angry."

Angela Rizzoli took her daughter's hand. "Of course, you're allowed to be angry, sweetheart. We all understand what you're going through, but please don't yell at Maura. She just wants to help you."

"Why the hell not? I have every right to yell at Maura, don't I Maur?" Jane's gaze drifted to Maura as her family looked to Maura in confusion. Jane's voice was coiled with anger. "You didn't tell them that you're the reason I'm lying here, did you?"

Angela looked at Jane and then at Maura. "What's she talking about?"

Maura's eyes clouded over with tears. She knew that she was responsible for Jane's situation, but her friend's sharp and resentful words confused her. She'd never seen Jane act this way toward anyone. "I didn't listen to her." Maura said as tears began to slide down her cheeks. "She shot herself to save me from being shot…" Maura looked around at those in the room; the surprised expressions on their faces very evident. She looked directly at Jane, "I'm so sorry"

She turned and made her way out of the hospital room. She made it as far as the elevator before she completely broke down.

"Maura?" Maura turned; startled by the fact that someone else was in the elevator with her.

"Nicole…"

Dr. Roberts pulled Maura toward her, holding her friend close as she broke down. "I promise that it's going to be ok." She whispered as she placed a soft kiss on her friend's forehead. "Whatever happens, you're not alone in this."


	11. Chapter 11

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**I had a little extra time today, so I thought I'd add another chapter. Hope you like it. Oh, and thanks for the reviews… they're a nice incentive.**

**Chapter Eleven**

After Maura left Jane's hospital room, everyone's focus narrowed in on Jane.

Korsak put his hand over Jane's. "You aren't really blaming the doc for this, are you?" He asked as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You and I both know that the only person that should and can be blamed for what happened to you is Bobby. You shouldn't let that scum come between you and Dr. Isles… hell, you wouldn't even be here right now if it weren't for the doc."

"I know I was out of line, but she should have listened to me. If she hadn't followed me out of the precinct, I would have never been put in that position."

"Janie, sweetie, do you really believe that?" Angela asked her daughter from the other side of the bed. "I know you care about Maura, and I know you'd do anything to make sure she was safe, but I also know you. It didn't have to be Maura who came out of that building… you would have done that to protect anyone."

"Ma…" Angela interrupted Jane before she could finish.

Angela gave her daughter a look that advised her to listen. "Don't try to tell me anything different. You've always been that way. You've always put everyone else's safety before your own…. Don't blame Maura for your decision. Vince told me what she did when you were shot; you should be thanking your friend, not yelling at her."

Jane looked at Korsak for an explanation. "What did she do?"

"I only know what the paramedics told me and what I saw. As soon as that gun went off, she was at your side yelling at people while trying to stop the blood. When the paramedics arrived, she fought them to ride along with you. They said that she kept you alive long enough for them to get there for transport… she also helped them bring you back when you flat-lined in the ambulance."

"I flat-lined?" Jane asked. She was amazed that no one had mentioned this.

"They said that they'd never seen anyone act so quickly. According to them, she was pretty amazing to watch. She seemed pretty shaken by it all though."

Jane looked to her mother and then Korsak. "What do you mean? She's all right, isn't she?"

"She seems ok now." He said as he readied himself to explain how he had found Maura. "After Frost and I got to the hospital with your parents, I went out to get some coffee for everyone. I found Dr. Isles outside, still covered in your blood. I guess they wouldn't allow her follow you into surgery and she didn't know where we all were. Anyway, she was really upset…she kept breaking down, blaming herself for what had happened. She told me about the ambulance ride and said that she'd felt inadequate during the entire ride. The paramedics told me that she was the reason why you were still alive when they got here, but Dr. Isles didn't see that. She thought she might have made the situation worse for you." Korsak saw Jane begin to soften. "You and I both know how sharp the doc is… the fact that she questioned herself… that's says a lot about how she feels about you. She's never unsure of herself, or emotional, but with you… well, she acts like the rest of us."

Angela took her daughter's hand. "When she comes back, you need to talk to her. Let her know that you don't really blame her. You can be angry with the situation sweetie, but you can't be angry with everyone around you."

"I know Ma." Jane said defensively.

Frank, Sr. stood up from where he had been quietly sitting. "Why don't I go look for Maura? Ang, you should go check on Frankie. See if he needs anything."

"Thanks dad. Tell her that we really need to talk, ok? And let her know that I was just being an ass."

Frank patted his daughter's foot. "You can let her know that yourself."

Angela and Frank left the room, leaving Jane alone with Korsak. "Will you look after her while I'm stuck in here?" Jane asked.

Korsak laughed. "Are you kidding? The doc's planning on moving in until your doctors clear you, then you'll be moving in with her."

Jane gave Korsak a confused look. "Why am I moving in with Maura?"

"Because she said so… and your mom agreed with her."

"Seriously? Ma is letting me go home with Maura? I thought for sure I'd be stuck at their house. It's her dream to have me and Frankie under her roof again."

"I guess the doc convinced her that her dream can wait awhile."

"Wow." Jane was astonished that Maura had convinced her mother that she'd be better off with the M.E.

"You ok?" Korsak asked.

Jane nodded. "I really screwed up, didn't I?"

Korsak shrugged. "You'll fix it."

Jane looked at the door, as if searching for Maura. "I hope so."


	12. Chapter 12

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**Here's another short chapter for you all. I was wondering, do you prefer me updating more frequently with short chapters, or would you rather I take a few days and write a bit more? Let me know. And as always, I love reviews. =)**

**Chapter Twelve**

Nicole led Maura into her office and onto her couch, where she immediately wrapped her arms around her trembling friend. She wanted to close the blinds on her window to give Maura some privacy, but she knew that if she did, gossip would immediately surround the two, and no doubt get back to Jane.

"Tell me what happened." Nicole said as she rubbed her friend's back, trying to console Maura.

Maura looked up at Nicole; her tear streaked face broke her friend's heart.

"What did she say to you, Maura?"

Maura took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "It doesn't really matter what she said, she was right to say it."

Nicole put her hand on Maura's shoulder, upset that Maura was allowing Jane to hurt her. "It does matter what she said. No one has the right to treat you like crap." Nicole's eyes softened as pushed a few loose strands of Maura's hair behind her ear. "Tell me what she said to you." She said as gently as she could.

Maura's lips trembled as she tried to keep herself from breaking down again. "She blames me for what happened. She said that if I had listened to her and stayed in the building, she would have been able to make different choice."

"And you believe that?"

Maura sat back against the couch. "I don't know what to think. I'm unable to be objective when it comes to Jane."

Nicole shifted on the couch in order to entwine her fingers with Maura's. "Maura, you're one of the smartest people that I have ever met… you of all people should know that Jane can't reasonably say whether she would have done anything differently if she were able to go through the situation again. There are too many variables, too many possible outcomes… we can speculate about what could of happened… but what good does that really do? She's here, and she needs you. That's the bottom line… and, if she can't see a good thing when it's sitting right beside her, trying to help… well, then maybe she doesn't deserve to have you there."

"I know that she understands that I didn't mean or want this to happen. She's just reacting to her situation…" Maura looked away from Nicole's attention as she tried to organize her thoughts. "She's acting like any patient would if they found themselves in a situation where they might not be able to function as they once could."

Nicole smile reassuringly at Maura. "You're right. It's common for people to act out when they find themselves in an uncontrollable situation. It's also common for those closest to the patient to blame themselves for the patient's actions… If you really want to help Jane, you need to stop blaming yourself. You did nothing wrong. Don't allow her to blame you for this… and don't allow yourself to think that way either."

"So where do I go from here?" Maura asked with a sigh.

She squeezed her friend's hand in encouragement. "It seems cliché, but you're really just going to have to take it one day at a time. Some days you'll feel like you've got the old Jane back, other days, I imagine she'll be almost foreign to you. All you can do is be there for her, and help to push her through the process. The rest is really up to her." Maura's eyes expressed her apprehension toward the situation.

"I'm not good with living patients. I don't know if I can do this."

Nicole pulled her hand from Maura's and placed it gently against her friend's cheek, guiding Maura's eyes to her own. "You care for her, don't you?"

"Of course."

"Then you'll be able to do this. And if you need help, I'm only a phone call away."

Maura leaned in and kissed Nicole on the cheek. "I don't know what I would do if you weren't here to keep me levelheaded. Thank you."

Nicole pulled Maura into a reassuring hug. "I'm only doing what any friend would do when someone they care about is hurting." Nicole pressed her lips against Maura's temple before getting up. "I need to get back to my rounds. Feel free to hang out here for as long as you need." She moved to leave. "If you need anything, just ask one of the nurses to page me."

Maura smiled at her friend. "Thanks, for everything."

After Nicole left the office, Maura reached into the desk drawer closest to the couch. She had seen Nicole remove a box a Kleenex from the drawer the day before, and was hoping that she had replaced it. When she didn't feel a box, she looked inside the drawer, seeing a new package of Kleenex sitting atop a frame.

Maura pulled the frame out of the drawer to examine it. The photo preserved one of the happier moments between Nicole, Maura, and Nicole's father. It had been taken during one of their many meals together. Maura smiled, remembering the happy moment and how close she and Nicole had been at that time.

Maura replaced the frame and moved to exit the office. The happiness that she had experienced with Nicole was in the past, but with Jane, she felt that there was still the possibility of a future. It was time for her to tell Jane how she felt.


	13. Chapter 13

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

So sorry for the long wait. I've started graduate school and have little time to write anything but academic papers lately. I've also been working on something that's being published… which takes so much more time and paperwork than I could have ever imagined. I'll try to update this more regularly… but I can't promise much. Just know that I haven't forgotten about this story.

I'd like to thank Honorcpt for giving me that little push I needed to get the ball rolling again.

**Chapter Thirteen**

Maura entered Jane's room just as a nurse was closing Jane's blinds for the night. The room was quiet, except for the noise immediately outside at the nurse's station. Maura turned to leave, not wanting to disturb Jane while she was resting.

"Maur." Jane called out in a whisper.

Maura turned back toward the bed where her friend lay, only moving to the chair when the nurse pushed by to exit the room.

"I don't want to keep you up." Maura said.

"You aren't." Jane looked away from Maura's attention before continuing. "I keep thinking about how I treated you…. I'm so sorry. You didn't and don't deserve that."

Maura took a deep breath. "Thank you."

Jane looked at her friend. "It wasn't your fault… what I did. Ma was right; I probably would have done the same thing no matter who had come through that door."

Maura sat down and took Jane's hand in her own. "But I was the person who came through the door. If I had listened, you probably wouldn't be here."

"You're right." Jane said, but not in the harsh tone that Maura had been anticipating. "If you hadn't come through the door when you did, I'd probably be on your table in the morgue."

"No… someone would have stopped him. Someone would have gotten you out of that situation." Maura dropped her head. "All I could think about when he took you out of the morgue was that I might never see you again. I never thought about what would happen if he saw me coming toward you."

Jane squeezed Maura's hand. "Maur… Maura, look at me. I promise… you did nothing wrong. Don't let what I said make you feel as though you caused this. Bobby's the one that we should both be blaming for this. Hell, you were the one that saved us all from dying in that morgue." Jane gave Maura a gentle tug, asking her to move closer to the bed. "If you hadn't thought as quickly as you did to press that radio, no one would have known what was going on in there. Frankie would have died of his wounds, and you and I… Well, we wouldn't be here, would we?"

Maura reached out and brushed Jane's dark hair from her forehead. "I don't think you should give me that kind of credit. Knowing you, you probably were in the midst of coming up with some grandly heroic plan." Maura smiled. "I was just too scared to wait and see what that might be."

"I didn't have a plan. I was scared… scared for Frankie, and scared for you. I… you both are two of the most important people in my life, and all I could think about was how broken I would be if I wasn't able to stop him from hurting either of you." Jane closed her eyes as soft tears escaped down her cheeks. "Maur… if I had lost you… if I were to ever lose you… I don't think I'd be able to go on, you know?"

Maura said nothing as she brushed her fingers across Jane's cheek, wiping away the stream of tears that had yet to stop.

Jane grabbed Maura's hand with her own and twined their fingers together. "Maura." Jane took a deep breath. "The morning before this happened… I wanted so badly to tell you… to tell you that… Ma, what the hell!"

Maura turned her head to find the older Rizzoli standing in the doorway.

"Ma. How long have you been standing there?"

Angela walked further into the room. "Long enough to know that I interrupted something interesting." Angela said with a smirk. "Don't mind me, I'll just sit here quietly as you continue."

Maura laughed for the first time in a couple of days. "Why don't I let you two talk for a while, I need to go grab something to eat anyway." Maura stood up and looked at Jane, whose eyes were practically begging her to stay. Maura squeezed Jane's hand. "I'll be back in a little while. I'm going to try and catch Dr. Roberts for a quick dinner. Don't have too much fun while I'm gone."

Maura left, leaving Jane and her mother in silence.

Jane turned to her mother. "Who's Dr. Roberts?"

"Oh, she's one of Maura's friends from medical school. She helped Maura get information on you and Frankie when you two were brought in. We hadn't heard anything from your doctors and were worried, so Maura had Nicole check in on things."

"Oh… Nicole? When did you have chance to get so friendly with the Doc?"

Angela grabbed Jane's television remote from the bedside table and turned on Wheel of Fortune. "She sat with us for a while. She seemed to know Maura pretty good…and she was a blessing to have around. If she hadn't been there, Maura probably would have drove herself crazy thinking about everything that might have happened to you."

Jane grabbed the remote from Angela's hand and hit the mute button.

"Hey!" Angela exclaimed.

"What do you mean, she seemed to know Maura? Just how friendly did they seem?"

Angela looked at her daughter. "Why are you so interested?"

Jane looked away, grabbing one of the medical journals Maura had left beside her bed. "I'm not."

"You sure sound interested."

"I just… I didn't know that Maura had any doctor friends that lived around here."

Angela sat up straighter in her chair. "According to Vince, they seemed like they may have been more than friends at one point."

Jane looked at her mother as though she could not believe what she was hearing. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, they looked like they might have been together at one point."

Jane shook her head. "That's not possible… Maura would have told me."

"Does Maura tell you everything?"

"Just about."

"Well, I could be wrong, but Vince said that he saw them in the doctor's office when he went looking for Maura, and they seemed to be pretty comfortable with one and other… and according to his description of what he saw, it sounded like they were comfortable with each other like you two are comfortable with one and other." Angela grabbed the remote back from Jane and turned the volume back on.

"What do you mean by that? Maura and I are just friends!"

Angela looked at her daughter. "I may be a bit older Janie, but I'm not blind… and I sure ain't deaf. Tell me you weren't about to tell Maura how you feel when I walked in here."

Jane looked at the front of the medical journal she held in her hand, trying to avoid eye contact with her mother.

"I'm not wrong, am I?" Angela asked.

Jane looked up at her mother with watery eyes. "No." She said, not bothering to explain anything to her mother.

"That's what I though."

Jane looked down at the address label at the bottom of the journal's cover. "I'm not sure if she feels the same way."

Angela smiled at her daughter. She had never seen Jane act as insecure as she was acting right then. "Of course she feels the same way."

"How can you be so sure?"

Angela reached out and squeezed her daughter's hand. "Because Maura would do absolutely anything for you. And you don't act like that for someone who's just a friend."

"But what if I'm not enough? What if I can't be what she needs or wants?"

"Janie, you just be who you are… that's who Maura wants."

"Thanks, Ma."

Angela turned back to the television. "Don't thank me yet. Thank me after you tell her how you feel… then you'll know I'm right." She turned to look at Jane who was tracing the little label at the corner of Maura's journal. "I'm always right."


	14. Chapter 14

**Title:** Where Do We Go From Here

**Author:** Politicalthry88

**Summary:** Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Author's Note:** This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

Two chapters in one day... now that's just crazy. ;)

**Chapter 14**

_The next morning._

Jane woke up to the sound of gentle snoring coming from beside her bed. It was a sound that she easily recognized as coming from Maura. Jane smiled at the thought of the many mornings that they had shared together… mornings where she had tried to convince Maura that she snored, but her friend claimed that it must have been Jo Friday, because there was no way that she could do what Jane had suggested.

She looked over the blonde slowly, noticing her disheveled hair and slightly wrinkled dress. She looked relaxed, even though she slept in a rigid chair in a noisy hospital room. It wasn't until she noticed movement in the chair next to Maura, that Jane realized that they weren't alone.

"Hi." Whispered the brunette sitting too close to Maura.

"Um… hi. Do I know you?" Jane whispered in return to the person who was obviously a stranger to her.

"Sorry, we haven't been introduced yet. I'm Nicole Roberts, a friend of Maura's." Nicole said, extended her left hand so that Jane could use the arm that was uninjured.

"My Ma said that you've been helping Maura the last couple of days, and that you made sure everyone knew what was going on when I was in surgery."

Nicole smiled and looked at Maura then Jane. "Yes, I did."

"Thank you for that. I know Maura would have driven herself crazy if she didn't know what was going on. I can only imagine how many scenarios she had playing through her mind when all of this happened."

"That's one of the difficult things about being a doctor. When something bad happens, you can't help but think of all of the different things that could go wrong. That's why Maura was smart to choose the profession that she did." Nicole said with a smile.

Jane looked Nicole over and noticed that she looked as wrinkled as Maura did. "Did you sleep here?"

Nicole looked down at herself, realizing how this must be appearing to Jane. "Yes." She said with a smile, hoping to comfort Jane a little. "Maura was a little worried last night when she came back to your room. You had a slight fever and she thought it might be an infection. We gave you some antibiotics, and I decided to stay here with her to make sure you both were all right."

"Oh. Thanks."

Nicole glanced over at Maura to make sure she was still asleep before she continued. "She's one of the good ones, you know… You'll never do any better than her."

Jane raised her eyebrow at Nicole. "Are you… are you speaking from experience?"

"And if I were? Would that be a problem for you?"

Jane shook her head. "No.

"Good, because I'd like to try and rebuild a friendship with her."

"Can I ask you something?" Jane asked, feeling a little nervous about what she might hear.

"Sure."

"What… what happened between the two of you?"

Nicole looked down at her feet before answering. "We were young. We were in love. And, I was an idiot."

Jane stayed quiet, giving Nicole time to explain.

"We met in medical school and became friends really quickly. She was the most easy going and intelligent person that I had ever met. We hung out all of the time outside of class and then one day it just became so much more." She looked at Jane, wondering if she should continue. "I… I fell hard for her, but when my dad found us in my apartment one day and threw a fit… well, I just couldn't handle the thought of not being accepted by my father, so I ended things. We still saw each other at school, and she was very understanding, but it was never the same after that." She looked over at Maura fondly. "I've never been able to find anyone as remarkable as her, and regret every day what I let go."

Jane to a heavy breath. "Do you still… Are you still in love with her?"

Nicole looked at Jane with sad eyes. "Jane… I will never not be in love with her, but I also know that she's no longer in love with me."

"Why would you say that? She's obviously spending more time with you again. Seeking you out for comfort and friendship."

"I know that you don't really believe that."

"I… I guess I hope you're right, but I just don't know."

Nicole took Jane's hand. "All you can do is be honest with her, and she will do the same for you."

Jane squeezed Nicole's hand. "I can tell why she likes you so much."

Nicole grinned. "It's true, I am pretty likeable."

"And humble too."

Nicole laughed, waking Maura.

"What are you two scheming about?" Maura mumbled.

Nicole laughed at her friend's amused look. "We were just wondering which one of us should draw on you. I told Jane that it should be her, because you wouldn't be able to get mad at someone who obviously was just bored, but she thought you'd be less likely chastise me for such a thing."

Maura looked at both of them, knowing that they had been talking about something much more serious. "Jane's right, she probably would have gotten in more trouble than you."

Jane laughed. "See, I told you. Now we've lost our chance to give Maura a mustache."

Maura swatted at Jane's arm. "You remember who you're going to be staying with for the next few months, don't you?"

"You wouldn't!"

Maura gave Jane a devilish smirk. "Oh, I would too. And your mother would be more than willing to live at the house with us so that she could keep track of you."

"And THAT is my cue." Nicole said, standing up to leave the room. "I'll let you two work out whatever your new living arrangement." She turned to Jane, "Jane, it was nice to finally meet you. Good luck with this one… Maura, don't be too hard on Jane here."

Maura stood up and gave Nicole a hug. "Thank you for everything you've done for us."

"Yeah. And thanks for keeping me entertained this morning." Jane added.

"Anytime." Nicole said as she turned toward the door. "I'll check in with you both later this evening, but if you need anything, just have one of the nurses page me." Nicole left the room, leaving Maura and Jane alone together to finish their conversation.

Maura moved her chair closer to Jane and the bed.

Jane extended her hand to Maura, smiling when the blonde's hand slid comfortably into her own. "Maur… There's so much I need to say to you. Things that I should have said a long time ago."


	15. Chapter 15

Title: Where Do We Go From Here

Author: Politicalthry88

Summary: Maura and Jane's lives are thrown into upheaval as everything they once knew is changed in an instant.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

Author's Note: This is a continuation of the Rizzoli and Isles season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang."

**Thank you for all of the reviews and story alerts! School is starting back up for me, and it's looking like my grad seminars will be keeping me pretty busy. I'm not sure how often I will be able to update from here on out, but don't worry… I didn't leave you with a huge cliff-hanger. =)**

**Chapter 15**

_Jane extended her hand to Maura, smiling when the blonde's hand slid comfortably into her own. "Maur… There's so much I need to say to you. Things that I should have said a long time ago."_

Jane cleared her throat. "I… Maura… um." She took a deep breath, trying to calm the anxiety that was threatening to take over. "Okay, this is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be."

"Jane." Maura said softly. "You know you can talk to me about anything. Just… just talk to me like you always do."

"Well, I… I should have talked to you about this a few month ago, but honestly, I was too scared to say anything."

"Why would you be scared to talk to me?"

Jane sighed. "Because I love you."

Maura looked at Jane quizzically. "I love you too."

Jane smiled. "Maur.. It's more than that… it's… I'm _in _love with you."

"Oh." An adorable smile spread across Maura's face. "I thought that was what you meant when you said you loved me." She squeezed Jane's hand, affectionately. "I hope you know that I'm in love with you as well… I probably have been since that first night you stayed at my place."

"You are?" Jane asked, somewhat surprised by Maura's response. Even though her mother had explained that Maura cared about her the same way that she cared about Maura, Jane had still doubted this possibility.

"Of course I am, Jane. You're smart, kind, funny, and gorgeous, my friend. How could I not be in love with you?"

Jane laughed. "Okay, now you're just trying to make me feel better."

"Of course, how else will I get you to continue to handle all of my quirks?" Maura looked at Jane more seriously. "No one else has ever understood me the way that you do, let alone allowed me to be who I want to be. You've made me feel as though I am… I guess normal would be the best way to define it, even though there really is no such thing as normal, just normative behavior… Jane, you make me feel as though I belong. With you, I am no longer the outsider that I have always been. With you, people don't look at me like I am weird, or unapproachable. With you, Jane, and because of you, I am someone that others respect, that they are willing to talk to, and that they might even want to be friends with. I've never experienced any of that before, and I have never felt as loved as you make me feel."

"Maur…" Jane said, a tear running down her cheek.

Maura reached forward and brushed the tear away. "Yes?"

"What if I don't get better? What if… what if I can't go back to work, can't be the person that I was before all of this happened?"

Maura looked at Jane, trying to determine what Jane was really trying to ask. "Jane. Sweetie, I will always, and I mean ALWAYS, love you. You are so much more than a detective, Jane."

"But…"

"No. I know you're feeling insecure right now, and that's completely normal, but no. My love for you is unconditional. I don't care if you're a detective, a plumber, or a… a dog walker, I love _you_, and who you are as a human being, not what you do."

Jane recaptured Maura's hand. "You're amazing you know that. I should be telling you how gorgeous, kind, funny, and adorable you are and here you are comforting me."

"If I'm amazing, it's only because you make me feel that way."

"I was so scared that you wouldn't feel the same way. Scared that I would tell you, and you'd want nothing to do with me. Now, I just regret not saying something sooner, before all of this happened." She said, waving her left hand in the direction of her immobilized arm.

"Your injury does not change a thing."

"Of course it does." Jane said in frustration. "It means I'm in here, and I can't take you on a date, or… or hold you in my arms. It means that I can't cook for you, or spend time with you down in the morgue when you're dealing with a particularly difficult case..."

"Jane. It means none of those things. All your injury means to how we want to pursue things, is that we will have to be careful. It does not mean that we cannot be together, or show each other how much that we care for one and other. It does not mean that you're completely restricted from doing things. It just means that we will have to be conscious of what could hurt you and your rehabilitation."

"What if… what if I want to kiss you?"

Maura stood and leaned over the bed so her lips were just an inch from Jane's ear. "Then kiss me."

Jane breathed deeply, turning her head so that she could brush her lips gently across Maura's. Maura's lips parted, asking Jane for more. She raised her left hand, entangling it in the blonde's hair, pulling her close so that she could explore Maura's mouth with her tongue. Maura moaned as Jane's tongue caressed her own.

"Jane?" Maura said, pulling back just enough so that her forehead rested on Jane's.

Jane groaned at their parting. "Yeah."

"I love you."

"I love you too, Maur. I love you, too."

**A/N: Okay, so I don't want the story to end here, but as I said before, updating may be difficult. So, for the time being, this may be where the story ends. Hope you all enjoyed. I apologize for how corny and short this chapter ended up being.**

3


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